Montreal’s Afromuseum opens, a first in celebrating Afro-Canadians

The influence of African culture in Montreal can be felt everywhere – its heritage, art, fashion, and music – and now it’s all being celebrated at the new Afromuseum. A permanent place that bears witness not only to its presence but, its history, its vibrant, living culture and its remarkable people.

“A beginning of a journey that also waiting for a long, long time. We have been working on this project for years,” said Afromuseum founder Mushagalusa Chigoho.

The museum itself transforming from Espace Mushagalusa, an art gallery and cultural centre opened in 2014, now into a place that preserves and uplifts African influence on society.

It’s located at 533 Ontario east (suite 100) in Montreal, and was inaugurated on Thursday night.

“It’s important in Montreal, to have places where communities can have their own voices,” said Jean-François Leclerc, historian, museologist, secretary of the board of directors for the Afromuseum. “There are big museum, there are history museum, but they cannot tell everything for everyone.”

“I was so surprised. I walked the ramp and I looked – and I went, oh, that’s me,” said Dr. Dorothy W. Williams, highlighted in the Afromuseum’s first exhibit that identifies places, events, and people who marked the presence of Afro-descendants in the city. “It was wonderful feeling it really and truly was.”

She is the founder and president of Blacbiblio that began in 2006 with the mission to educate Canadians about their unknown Black history. In 2010, in response to the lack of Black Canadian stories in schools across the country, they began to develop the ABC’s of Canadian Black History Kit: A Journey of Discovery into Canadian History. It’s now a treasured resource for Quebec teachers.

“She’s a great woman. She has done a lot of research and she’s a pioneer in terms of the story of the Black presence in Montreal,” said Frantz Voltaire, chairman of the board of directors for the Afromuseum.

#WATCH: “It was wonderful feeling,” says Dorothy Williams, Montrealer highlighted in the Afromuseum’s exhibition “Montreal’s Africa.” The multi-segment exhibit engages visitors to identify places, events, and people who marked the presence of Afro-descendants in the city. pic.twitter.com/XWLUfxTsKv

— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) February 25, 2022

The museum is committed to combat prejudice, discrimination, and racism. And encourage a safe space that is welcoming to all.

“The importance is that, first of all, is we are in the Black History Month, first of all, is what of the importance is. The second is that is that now we have our own African Afro descendants’ museum. We have our own house now for our own history,” explained Samuel Ervé Mandeng, secretary for Black History Month Montreal.

“Every day or every month should be Black history month, and they what Blacks have done in Canada and North America should be celebrated all year round,” said Audley Coley, motivational speaker. “And this is a very good start.”

“This belongs to everybody. This is not the Black community’s museum. This is Quebec’s museum about population within the province,” said Dr. Williams. “The first Black History museum in Quebec is something to be celebrated. All Quebecers should come.”